Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Aba and Dubai

For one person, living is cheaper in Aba: $404 a month against $2,889 in Dubai, rent and utilities included – about $29,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Dubai
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Dubai Living Index

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Aba

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$404

/mo nomad

Dubai

🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates

$2,889

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Aba and in Dubai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Aba and in Dubai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $404 per month in Aba vs $2,889 in Dubai, rent included.

Aba $404
Dubai $2,889

A couple spends around $656 per month in Aba vs $4,444 in Dubai, rent included.

Aba $656
Dubai $4,444

A family of three spends $907 per month in Aba vs $5,999 in Dubai, rent included.

Aba $907
Dubai $5,999

Aba is about 86% cheaper than Dubai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Aba sits 70% below the global median, while Dubai is 114% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.94 AED 47.54

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.2 AED 306

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 ₦9,873

$9.35 AED 34.32

-21.50%

Cappuccino

$0.85 ₦1,148

$5.88 AED 21.60

-85.54%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 AED 5.77

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 AED 3.47

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 ₦2,733

$13.44 AED 49.38

-84.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₦3,242

$13.57 AED 49.84

-82.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.81 ₦5,124

$1.86 AED 6.83

104.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 ₦2,949

$1.56 AED 5.73

40.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 AED 9.68

Eggs

$3.53 AED 12.96

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.14 ₦15.0K

$12.97 AED 47.62

-14.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 AED 36.51

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.26 ₦1,699

$12.92 AED 47.45

-90.25%

Apples (1kg)

$5.30 ₦7,131

$2.55 AED 9.36

107.84%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 ₦744

$2.05 AED 7.54

-73.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 AED 6.77

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 AED 5.64

Potato (1kg)

$3.47 ₦4,669

$1.17 AED 4.31

196.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 AED 3.76

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ₦1,524

$1.57 AED 5.75

-28.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.13 ₦172

$0.67 AED 2.46

-80.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.45 ₦1,951

$6.31 AED 23.17

-77.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.45 ₦10.0K

$16.16 AED 59.4

-53.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₦1,753

$2.58 AED 9.48

-49.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 ₦1,951

$2.89 AED 10.60

-49.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 AED 5.15

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.43 ₦12.7K

$82.4 AED 303

-88.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 AED 12.07

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 AED 2.40

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 AED 29.84

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 AED 3.68

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$5,970 ₦8.0M

$26.3K AED 96.6K

-77.30%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$7,485 ₦10.1M

$22.0K AED 81.0K

-66.05%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$113 ₦152.1K

$239 AED 877

-52.66%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$2.22 ₦2,979

$56.9 AED 209

-96.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.26 ₦60.9K

$93.9 AED 345

-51.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.8 AED 334

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.38 AED 170

Cinema Ticket

$2.12 ₦2,854

$16.24 AED 59.6

-86.95%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$934 AED 3,429

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,080 ₦1.5M

$20.9K AED 76.8K

-94.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 AED 260

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.3 AED 225

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$14.79 ₦19.9K

$103 AED 377

-85.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$18.81 ₦25.3K

$116 AED 426

-83.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$135 ₦181.0K

$2,487 AED 9,134

-94.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 AED 5,581

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 ₦608.4K

$5,234 AED 19.2K

-91.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 ₦295.1K

$3,028 AED 11.1K

-92.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,094 ₦1.5M

$6,982 AED 25.6K

-84.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$469 ₦630.3K

$4,433 AED 16.3K

-89.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$95.5 ₦128.4K

$3,553 AED 13.0K

-97.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.57

162.58%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Aba: November 3, 2026

Last update for Dubai: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Aba

–

Dubai

$1.5K 52.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Aba

–

Dubai

$390 13.5%

Eating Out

Aba

–

Dubai

$307 10.6%

Groceries & Markets

Aba

–

Dubai

$297 10.3%

Clothing & Footwear

Aba

–

Dubai

$158 5.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Aba

–

Dubai

$123 4.3%

Getting Around

Aba

–

Dubai

$95 3.3%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $135 in Aba versus $2,487 in Dubai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Dubai are about 37 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇳🇬 Aba

🇦🇪 Dubai

🕒 Local time

19:24 7:24 PM

22:24 10:24 PM

3 h ahead of Aba

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,020,900

3,790,000

💱 Currency

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

UAE Dirham AED د.إ

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 NGN = 7.44 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.62 EUR

1 AED = 0.272 USD

1 AED = 0.242 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AED, USD, EUR to NGN – Nigerian Naira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇬 Nigerian Naira (₦)

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 1,345 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.44 USD). 1 EUR = 1,511 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.62 EUR).

UAE Dirham exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3.67 AED (1 AED = 0.272 USD). 1 EUR = 4.13 AED (1 AED = 0.242 EUR).

USD to NGN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Aba Dubai 5,550 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Aba
Dubai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Aba vs Dubai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Dubai is pricier by about 614%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $607 per month in Aba and $4,333 in Dubai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aba, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $135 there versus $2,487 in Dubai.

Groceries cost about 77% more in Dubai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Public transport costs about 89% less in Aba. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Aba, where all-in costs run around $404, than in Dubai at $2,889. In Aba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dubai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Dubai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $404 in Aba to $2,889 in Dubai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Aba. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dubai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.